Husayn al-Baher (Arabic: حصين البحر, also spelled Husain al-Bahr or Hussein al-Baher) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located north of Tartus. Nearby localities include Maten al-Sahel to the north, Annazah to the northeast, al-Sawda to the east, Awaru and Khirbet al-Faras to the southeast and Dweir al-Shaykh Saad to the south. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Husayn al-Baher had a population of 4,350 in the 2004 census, making it the largest locality of the al-Sawda nahiyah ("sub-district").[1] The inhabitants of the village are predominantly Alawites,[2] along with a Christian minority.

Husayn al-Baher
حصين البحر
Village
Husayn al-Baher is located in Syria
Husayn al-Baher
Husayn al-Baher
Coordinates: 34°58′56″N 35°54′17″E / 34.98222°N 35.90472°E / 34.98222; 35.90472
Country Syria
GovernorateTartus
DistrictTartus
SubdistrictAl-Sawda
Population
 (2004)[1]
 • Total
4,350
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

In 1970 the village became part of the newly established municipality of al-Sawda along with the mostly Alawite villages of Maten al-Sahel, Mazra'a, Mazra'a Shamamis, Bayt Jadid, the Sunni Muslim village of Zamrin, the Christian villages of al-Sawda and Bashtar, and the Ismaili village of Awaru. However, in 1985 Husayn al-Baher became a separate municipality due to its size and the good relations between the village residents, many of whom are members of the ruling Ba'ath Party, and the authorities.[2] Husayn al-Baher is the birthplace of the Syrian writer Haidar Haidar[3] and playwright Saadallah Wannous.

References

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  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Tartus Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ a b Balanche, Fabrice (2006). La région alaouite et le pouvoir syrien (in French). Karthala Editions. ISBN 2845868189.
  3. ^ Haidar Haidar. Banipal. 2008.